AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 12, 2024

Andy Murray

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Straight into questions for Andy.

Q. Just wanted to ask you about the schedule change this year with the Sunday start. The tournament is saying it should hopefully maybe reduce late finishes. Obviously you had a crazy late finish last year. What do you think about it? Do you think it is going to do that or...

ANDY MURRAY: I don't think the Sunday start will change the late finishes. I think on center court they're having two matches in the day, two matches in the evening. I think that will reduce the possibility for late finishes on Rod Laver just, yeah, because it's unlikely you're going to have issues with the day session running into the night, then having that gap where they have to clear out the stadium and get the night session fans in.

I think that will help late finishes on center court. My understanding is that on the other show courts, that's not changing, so there still is the possibility for that to happen.

Maybe there will be - potentially, I don't know - moving courts if it's running over. I'm not sure. I don't think the Sunday start will change late finishes, no.

Q. It seems like there is a bit of movement now to address this, where maybe before there's been talk but not any action.

ANDY MURRAY: Well, yeah, I mean, I've read that. I don't know if that's happening at the slams. Definitely at the other events.

It's really good because, yeah, I've spoken about it. I've heard lots of players, and the media obviously, discussing it for a long time. Yeah, just makes sense. It's a very obvious thing that needs to change.

I haven't heard anyone really disagree with that. So, yeah, it's positive that there's going to be some changes made. It will be good for I think everyone. I primarily would think about it from a player's perspective. Yeah, it will definitely help with recovery for, like, following day's matches and things like that.

I certainly think for, like, fans and the tournament, just probably looks a wee bit more professional if you're not finishing at 3, 4 in the morning.

Q. Based on what you've heard from the Tour's attempts to address this in the last week or so, do you think they've gone far enough?

ANDY MURRAY: I think we probably just need to see how it works out. I think it's really positive that they're trying to make a change. Yeah, let's see. I think that's the main thing, is that there's sort of an acceptance now that, yes, this is probably we need to do something to address it, and they made changes to try to do that.

Let's see. If it doesn't, I'm sure they may move the start times to - I don't know, the latest start times to 10:00 instead of 11:00.

Yeah, this is a good step. I think the players will be happy with it. Hopefully it works well.

Q. You talked a bit at the end of last year about not enjoying the way you were playing tennis. Kind of at Kooyong the other day, almost looked like you were making an effort to enjoy yourself more. Has there been a bit of a change to make sure you're enjoying it out on the court? Do you feel you're in a better place to enjoy tennis?

ANDY MURRAY: I definitely feel like I'm enjoying it better. I think part of that is obviously, it's the mental side of it. Tennis is a difficult game in that respect. Yeah, when you're struggling, you're obviously out there on your own, it can be difficult at times. Part of it is that.

Also the way you're playing. When you know you're capable of doing more than what you are, if you're not happy with the way you're hitting forehands and backhands and serving and those sorts of things, there's the technical aspect as well.

Fixing some of those problems has helped me feel better on the court. Yeah, definitely some focus on the mental side, as well. Yeah, reframing the way you look at things definitely, definitely helps.

Q. There is an element of fake it till you make it, make yourself smile?

ANDY MURRAY: No, I won't be out there giggling on the court. That won't be happening (smiling).

Yeah, it's more about how you're dealing with frustration and disappointment and everything when you're playing. I don't see Novak out there when he's playing his matches laughing and joking around. I never saw that with Roger and Rafa. It's not about that.

It's probably how you're treating yourself in those moments and being a bit kinder to yourself, the people around you, lowering some of your own expectations, controlling what you can control.

All of the players will sit in here and say exactly the same thing. It's just not that easy to do it when you're out there competing. That's the hard part, yeah, just to focus on the next shot, the next point. It's a very easy thing to say. We all know it. But doing it is difficult.

Yeah, when I was younger, I obviously always got frustrated on the court, but I always felt like in the really important moments, I was always competing very well.

Last year was getting frustrated, was not competing well in the important moments. That's something that I hope to change this year.

Q. Obviously you've been on tour a long time. What happened in Brisbane, where you lose a match to a guy that goes on to win the tournament? Does that make you at all feel different about a loss, reexamine it, a general pattern throughout your career?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I don't know. My coach actually asked me that the day after Grigor won in Brisbane. He actually asked me that question: how do you feel about that?

I was happy for Grigor, but I don't really care that much. Obviously he played very well that week. Against me he served extremely well. Certainly the day after the match, when you've cooled off and had time to reflect on it, I wasn't sitting there going, Oh, my God, this is a terrible start to the year, I played really badly.

Yeah, obviously still frustrating to lose the match. Draws can always play a part in how you go and how you perform in tournaments. Yeah, maybe after that match you can look back and go, Okay, that was a tough start to the year. I actually played pretty well. I'll try to keep building from there.

It's different if I got killed 1-1 in the first round and he went on to win the tournament, it doesn't mean much because you weren't close. There's probably a lot of things you need to do better in your game. Yeah, I was there at 6-4, 3-4, 30-All, had a second-serve look. Pretty close, which is probably a good sign.

Q. I wasn't at the two Etcheverry matches you played last year. He makes it quite physical. That is what you're expecting?

ANDY MURRAY: I made most of my matches quite physical last year (smiling). I don't know if that was necessarily him.

But yeah, he has a game that can make the matches that way, as well. We played in Basel, I don't know if it was over three hours, but it felt like it was. In Indian Wells, yeah, another long one.

Again, I know that last year when I wasn't serving well, you end up getting into lots more long rallies and everything. Because of the way I return, I put quite a lot of returns back in play, you can end up getting into lots of long points when that's the case. Yeah, matches will go on.

Yeah, hopefully that's not the case in a couple of days.